Jacquelyn mitchard biography channel

  • Jacquelyn Mitchard was born on 10

    • Jacquelyn Mitchard

    Goodreads Author


    Born

    Chicago, The United States

    Website

    http://www.jacquelynmitchard.com/


    Twitter

    JackieMitchard


    Genre

    Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit


    Member Since

    February 2010


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    Jacquelyn Mitchard’s first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, was named by USA Today as one of the ten most influential books of the past 25 years – second only to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (but second by a long shot, it must be said.)

    The Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV host Oprah Winfrey, and transformed into a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

    Most of Mitchard’s novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers – and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, The Good Son, and Cage of Stars. Critics have praised them for their authentic humanity and command of story. Readers identify because they see rJacquelyn Mitchard’s first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, was named by USA Today as one of the ten most influential books of the past 25 years – second only to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (but second by a long shot, it must be said.)

    The Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV host Oprah Winfrey, and transformed into a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

    Most of Mitchard’s novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers – and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, The Good Son, and Cage of Stars. Critics have praised them for their authentic humanity and command of story. Readers identify because they see reflected, in her characters – however extreme their circumstances – emotions they already understand.

    Mitchard also has written four novels for young adults.

    The first, Now You See Her, from HarperTeen, is the story of a pampered, driven y

    Mitchard, Jacquelyn 1956-

    PERSONAL:

    Born December 10, 1956, in Chicago, IL; daughter of Robert G. and Mary M. Dvorak; married Dan Allegretti (a journalist), 1981 (died, 1993); married Christopher Brent, 1998; children: seven. Education: Rockford College, B.A., 1973.

    ADDRESSES:

    Home—Madison, WI. Agent—Jane Gelfman, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents Inc., 250 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10107. E-mail—[email protected].

    CAREER:

    Writer and journalist. High school English teacher, 1974-76; Pioneer Press, Chicago, IL, managing editor and reporter, 1976-79; Capital Times, Madison, WI, reporter, 1979-84; Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, WI, metro reporter and columnist, 1984-88; speech-writer for Donna Shalala (then Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, later U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services), 1989-93; author of column "The Rest of Us," nationally syndicated by Tribune Media Services; author of nonfiction, fiction, and screenplays.

    AWARDS, HONORS:

    Maggie Award for public service magazine journalism, 1993 and 1994; Parenting Network Public Awareness Award, 1997; Milwaukee Press Club Headliner Award, 1997, for exceptional service to the community; Ragdale Foundation Fellow for three years; Anne Powers Award, Council of Wisconsin Writers, 1997, for book of fiction; Audie Award, 1998.

    WRITINGS:

    NOVELS

    The Deep End of the Ocean, Viking (New York, NY), 1996.

    The Most Wanted, Viking (New York, NY), 1998.

    A Theory of Relativity, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.

    Twelve Times Blessed, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

    Christmas, Present, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

    The Breakdown Lane, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

    Cage of Stars, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2006.

    Still Summer, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2007.

    NONFICTION

    Mother Less Child: The Love Story of a Family (memoir), W.W. Norton (New York, NY), 1985.

    The Rest of Us: Dispatches from the Mother Ship, Viking (New York, NY), 1997.

    CHI

  • A former newspaper reporter

    • Jacquelyn Mitchard

    It’s almost my 25th anniversary. For all these years, through many up’s and some harrowingly steep down’s, the marriage everyone thought would fail, has endured. When we got married, my husband and I had known each other two months. I was widowed: He’d never even come close to being engaged. I was older. He never planned on having children. I already had four. I liked documentaries: He liked sitcoms. As a character once said to her flame on my favorite-ever TV show, The West Wing, “You’re Neil Diamond. I’m Neil Young.” What we agree upon are the basic human truths of politics and good behavior. That turns out to be a great deal. 

    What percentage of husbands cheat on their wives? 

    What percentage of wives cheat on their husbands?

    Before I looked this up … I would have said, 40% of husbands and about 20% of wives.

    Turns out that experts would suggest I was wrong – that the actual total is more like only 19% of husbands and about 7% of wives. Two things then must be true here: Either I know about all of them or I have acquaintances or relatives who are particularly frisky. 

    People say to me, I wouldn’t mind so much if my spouse were to physically cheat on me: If he or she were to go to a conference on a weekend trip and had a one-night stand. That wouldn’t matter to me so much, I’ve had several of my girlfriends tell me. What they would mind is a passionate email or phone friendship, what’s now called an “emotional affair,” in which the couple traded histories and dreams. 

    I’m not sure that either one of these would be something from which I could move on. Commitment might not come naturally to the human animal; but what you theoretically get when you sacrifice variety is true intimacy, the lifelong conversation. Would that be possible with someone who was grazing in greener pastures? I don’t want to know.

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    Jacquelyn Mitchard (1953–) Biography

    Biographical and Critical Sources

    PERIODICALS

    Atlanta Constitution, July 6, 2001, Teresa K. Weaver, interview with Mitchard and review of A Theory of Relativity, p. B1.

    Atlantic Monthly, July-August, 2001, review of A Theory of Relativity, p. 164.

    Book, May, 2001, "Jacqueline Mitchard's Custodial Duties," p. 10; July, 2001, Kera Bolonik, review of A Theory of Relativity, p. 42, and Beth Kephart, review of A Theory of Relativity, p. 72.

    Booklist, March 15, 1985, p. 1019; April 1, 1996, Donna Seaman, review of The Deep End of the Ocean, p. 1324; October 15, 1997, Donna Seaman, review of The Rest of Us: Dispatches from the Mother Ship, p. 380; April 15, 1998, Donna Seaman, review of The Most Wanted, p. 1356; April 1, 2001, Donna Seaman, review of A Theory of Relativity, p. 1429; July, 2004, Carolyn Phelan, review of Starring Prima!: The Mouse of the Ballet Jolie, p. 1844; September 15, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of Baby Bat's Lullaby, p. 253; February 15, 2005, Carol Haggas, review of The Breakdown Lane, p. 1036; August, 2005, Joyce Saricks, audiobook review of The Breakdown Lane, p. 2046.

    Capital Times (Madison, WI), June 22, 2001, Heather Lee Schroeder, "Mitchard Blooms in Shangri-La," author interview.

    Chatelaine, September, 2001, Bonnie Schiedel, "Blood Pressure," review of A Theory of Relativity, p. 20.

    Choice, October 1991, p. 245.

    Christian Science Monitor, September 9, 1996, Merle Rubin, review of The Deep End of the Ocean, p. 14; July 23, 1998, "Oprah Propels Some First Novelists to the Stars," p. B4, and Kim Campbell, "Oprah's First Author Finds Round Two Tough," review of The Most Wanted, p. B5.

    Entertainment Weekly, March 21, 1997, Lisa Schwarzbaum, review of The Deep End of the Ocean, pp. 65-66; April 8, 2005, review of The Breakdown Lane, p. 70.

    Houston Chronicle, June 14, 1998, Holly Hildebrand, review of The Most Wanted, p. 17.

    Kirkus Revi